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Diedrick Brackens, a Los Angeles-based artist known for his woven tapestries, is experiencing a major career moment in 2025. The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has opened a large-scale solo exhibition titled "The Shape of Survival" (on view through July 7), while another solo show, "Woven Stories," debuted at the Holburne Museum in Bath, England, marking his U.K. debut. Additionally, his works are featured in group shows at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Dallas Contemporary. Brackens's tapestries feature silhouetted figures against abstracted backgrounds, and his recent works explore themes of autobiography, history, and mythology, using moody dusk hues to reflect his personal journey from the American South to the West.

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The Guerrilla Girls, the anonymous feminist art collective founded in 1985, are celebrating their 40th anniversary with a series of exhibitions and events. In New York, two gallery shows have been held at Hannah Traore Gallery and Mary Ryan Gallery. Later this month, the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C., will stage a major solo exhibition of its Guerrilla Girls holdings, titled "Discrimi-NATION: Guerrilla Girls on Bias, Money, and Art." The collective is also receiving an award at NMWA's upcoming gala and has launched a campaign to encourage donors to help the museum acquire the complete "Portfolio Compleat" of all their works.

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The Getty Museum in Los Angeles has acquired and restored Luis de Morales's "Christ Carrying the Cross" (c. 1565), a 16th-century Spanish Renaissance painting. The work, which had been covered in discolored varnish and enlarged with wooden strips, was carefully conserved by Getty conservator Kari Rayner, who removed non-original paint to reveal the artist's original composition. The painting first appeared at auction in 2021 at Nagel Auktionen, initially attributed to Morales's studio with a €10,000 estimate, but later sold for €1.2 million before the Getty acquired it from the Daniel Katz Gallery.

sothebys 70 million alberto giacometti 2634149

Sotheby's has secured a $70 million Alberto Giacometti sculpture, *Grande tête mince (Grande tête de Diego)* (1955), for its evening sale of Modern art on May 13 in New York. The bronze bust of the artist's brother Diego is the highest-priced lot known to be offered in the upcoming high-stakes auctions. Consigned anonymously from the collection of late real estate tycoon Sheldon Solow, the work is being sold by the Soloviev Foundation to raise funds for philanthropic activities, including support for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sculpture, one of six casts, is described as the only 'richly painted' version and was included in Giacometti's 1956 Venice Biennale presentation.

pope francis contemporary art obituary 2634401

Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, has died at age 88. A Jesuit priest from Argentina, he was the first pope from the Americas and the first from outside Europe since the 8th century. During his papacy, he took progressive stances on social justice, migrants, the environment, and the LGBTQ community, and also engaged deeply with contemporary art. He oversaw the Vatican Museums, ordered the return of Parthenon marble fragments to Greece, restored Raphael frescoes, and became the first pope to visit the Venice Biennale, where the Vatican had its first-ever pavilion in 2013.

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The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has launched a new exclusive ice cream flavor called "Van Dough" in its second-floor cafe and sculpture garden food stand. Created in collaboration between Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) and Caffè Panna, the flavor features vanilla ice cream mixed with MoMA chocolate chip cookie dough chunks and chocolate chips. The article traces MoMA's long history with ice cream, including its ownership of Claes Oldenburg's *Pastry Case, I* (1961–62) and *Floor Cone* (1962), a 1935 Zeroll ice cream scoop by Sherman L. Kelly in its design collection, and a 2013 ice cream social with Milk Not Jails as part of artist Caroline Woolard's project.

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Pope Francis died on April 20 at age 88, ending a transformative papacy that began in 2013. He was the first Jesuit pope, first from the southern hemisphere, and took his name from St. Francis of Assisi. Known for austerity and advocacy for the oppressed, he criticized wars in Gaza and Ukraine, apologized to Indigenous communities in Canada, and made history in 2024 by attending the Venice Biennale—the first pope to do so—visiting the Holy See Pavilion at the Women's Prison on Giudecca.

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Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at his home in Casa Santa Marta at age 88, the Vatican announced. During his 12-year papacy, the first Jesuit and Latin American pontiff showed strong support for artists, becoming the first pope to visit the Venice Biennale last year, where he spoke at the Vatican's pavilion held in a women's prison. He emphasized the importance of contemporary art and women creators, citing Frida Kahlo and Louise Bourgeois, and urged artists to keep questioning and taking risks.

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Ruth Angus, associate curator of the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History, leads a tour of the exhibition "Cosmic Splendor: Jewelry from the Collections of Van Cleef & Arpels," running through January 4, 2026, in the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery. The show features over 60 pieces from the Parisian maison's archives and private collections, each inspired by cosmic phenomena such as galaxies, stars, and planetary nebulae. Angus served as curatorial advisor alongside Denton Ebel, Kate Kiseeva, and Alexandrine Maviel-Sonet, with thematic sections covering the Moon, Sun, distant galaxies, meteorites, and the Zodiac. Highlights include the Trappist transformable necklace (2021) inspired by the TRAPPIST-1 star system and the Explosion Stellaire necklace (2021) depicting a supernova.

Naked jetskiers, giant bells and a celebrity seagull! Venice Biennale’s wildest moments – in pictures

The Guardian presents a photo essay capturing the most eccentric and memorable moments from the 61st Venice Biennale, running until 22 November 2026. Photographer David Levene documents installations including a concrete 'Origami Deer' evacuated from war-torn Pokrovsk, Ukraine, by artist Zhanna Kadyrova; a seagull that became a minor celebrity after nesting outside the Polish pavilion; and the Holy See pavilion's immersive sound installation curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Ben Vickers. Other highlights include the Egyptian pavilion's touch-and-smell 'Silence Pavilion' and a Polish pavilion film featuring deaf and hearing singers.

Think you have strong opinions about the 2026 Archibald prize? Check out the portraits that didn’t make the cut | Dee Jefferson

The article explores the annual ritual of the Archibald Prize, Australia's most famous portrait competition, through the lens of the 2026 edition. The author, Dee Jefferson, describes the predictable cycle of public enthusiasm, critical disdain, and media coverage that surrounds the prize, noting recurring trends like brown suits, oversized heads, and the dominance of male artists painting male subjects. The piece highlights specific works in this year's exhibition, including a portrait of musician Keli Holiday by Sindy Sinn that the author finds disorienting, and contrasts the main exhibition with the Salon des Refusés, the showcase of rejected entries, which includes a provocative portrait of Patricia Piccinini by Wendy Sharpe featuring exaggerated anatomy.

A mind-bending Spaniard, an imagistic Puerto Rican and a lush Latvian – the week in art

This week's art roundup from The Guardian features a major exhibition on Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán at the National Gallery in London, described as a mind-bending and revelatory show with loans from the Prado and other top museums, positioning him alongside Goya and Picasso. Other highlights include Gilbert & George's tribute to their late homeless friend at their London centre, outdoor sculptures by Lynn Chadwick at Houghton Hall, thickly built-up paintings by Angel Otero at Hauser & Wirth Somerset, and abstract works by Latvian sculptor Daiga Grantina at Warwick Arts Centre. The article also covers a new Banksy statue in central London depicting a man marching with a flag, and a Masterpiece of the Week feature on Guido Reni's 'Saint Mary Magdalene'.

‘He sent someone to intimidate me’: Christopher Anderson, the photographer who shot Jeffrey Epstein

Photographer Christopher Anderson has revealed the details behind his 2015 encounter with Jeffrey Epstein, whom he photographed for a cancelled New York magazine profile. Anderson describes a series of unsettling interactions, including Epstein's attempts to buy the image rights for $20,000 and the eventual dispatch of a "mafia-esque" intimidator to Anderson's studio to seize a hard drive. The photographer's email exchanges with Epstein’s staff were recently made public as part of the Department of Justice's release of the Epstein files.

11 Contemporary Emirati Artists To Know

The article highlights 11 contemporary Emirati artists, providing an overview of their practices and significance within the Gulf's evolving art scene. It contextualizes this list against recent major events in the region, including the debut of Art Basel Qatar in early February and the subsequent U.S. attacks on Iran, which caused turmoil across the Gulf, disrupted airline operations, and forced Art Dubai to scale back its event to a smaller fair in mid-May. Artists and galleries in the Gulf also had to temporarily close.

5 Standout Artworks at Carnegie International 2026

The Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has unveiled the 59th edition of its Carnegie International exhibition, featuring a monumental series of murals titled *Orogenic* (2026) by Abraham González Pacheco. The newly commissioned work, made of concrete, metal, and pigment, depicts a maelstrom of archaeological objects inspired by the museum’s collection and sets the tone for the exhibition.

How to Buy Minimalist Art

Artsy Editorial offers a guide on buying Minimalist art, explaining the movement's core principles of geometric shapes, limited color palettes, and material reduction. The article highlights key artists such as Carl Andre and Polly Apfelbaum, and emphasizes that Minimalism focuses on the idea behind the work rather than the artist's technical skill.

British ’90s art and fashion exhibition heading to Tate Britain in fall 2026.

Tate Britain will mount the first major exhibition exploring the transformative impact of fashion, art, and photography on 1990s Britain. Curated by former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, the show titled “The 90s: Art and Fashion” will bring together over 100 works—including photographs, paintings, films, sculptures, objects, and garments—from nearly 70 artists. It runs from August 8, 2026 through February 14, 2027.

The 5 Best Booths at miart 2026

The 30th edition of miart opened its doors at the Allianz MiCo convention center in Milan, marking a significant milestone for Italy’s premier international modern and contemporary art fair. As the city continues its ascent as a global art capital, the 2026 fair attracted a diverse continental crowd of collectors and professionals ahead of the upcoming Venice Biennale.

Julie Mehretu Captures Our Contemporary Chaos in Shimmering Abstract Paintings

Julie Mehretu has established herself as a preeminent voice in contemporary abstraction by creating dense, multilayered canvases that synthesize architectural drawings, maps, and media imagery. Her work is characterized by a meticulous accumulation of marks that transform sociopolitical data and historical events into ethereal, gestural compositions. By layering information until it reaches a point of abstraction, she explores how individual and collective identities are shaped by the built environment and global shifts.

How to Take Great Photographs of Art, According to Artists

Contemporary gallery-going has become synonymous with digital documentation, as visitors increasingly use smartphones to capture paintings, sculptures, and installations. This shift from passive observation to active photography serves as a method of personal archiving, allowing viewers to preserve the fleeting experience of a physical exhibition and share it within their social circles.

5 Ways the Art World Can Better Support Women Artists

Sculptor Thaddeus Mosley dies at 99.

Sculptor Thaddeus Mosley dies at 99.

Sculptor Thaddeus Mosley, a self-taught artist renowned for his monumental abstract wood sculptures, has died at the age of 99. Working for decades in his Pittsburgh basement, Mosley used locally sourced felled trees and traditional hand tools to create dynamic, asymmetrical forms that channeled both modernist principles and African artistic traditions. His prolific career, which began in his 30s, gained significant institutional recognition only in his later decades, culminating in a major 2022 solo exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

Cosima von Bonin’s sculptures star in Loewe’s fall/winter 2026 runway show.

Cosima von Bonin’s sculptures star in Loewe’s fall/winter 2026 runway show.

German artist Cosima von Bonin’s large-scale, fabric-based sculptures were integrated directly into Loewe’s fall/winter 2026 runway show during Paris Fashion Week. Creative director Jonathan Anderson placed her oversized, characteristically enigmatic soft sculptures—including a giant lobster and a crumpled cigarette—amidst the models, transforming the presentation into a moving exhibition. This collaboration continues Anderson’s practice of merging high art with high fashion on the runway.

Photographer Zanele Muholi is named the 2026 Hasselblad Award laureate.

South African visual activist Zanele Muholi has won the prestigious 2026 Hasselblad Award, one of the highest honors in photography. The award, which includes a cash prize and a major exhibition at the Hasselblad Foundation in Gothenburg, Sweden, recognizes Muholi's decades-long dedication to documenting and celebrating Black LGBTQIA+ communities in South Africa and beyond. Their powerful portraits and self-portraits challenge historical erasure and create a profound visual archive of resistance and existence.

Trisha Donnelly at MUSEUM MMK FÜR MODERNE KUNST

The Museum MMK für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt is presenting an exhibition of work by American artist Trisha Donnelly. The show features a range of her untitled pieces from 2005 to 2025, including sculptures, photographs, and other media, drawn from her own studio and various international collections and galleries.

Ornamental Carpets Release Wild Animals in Debbie Lawson’s Provocative Sculptures

Debbie Lawson presents a solo exhibition, "In a Cowslip's Bell I Lie," at Sargent's Daughters in New York, featuring her signature large-scale sculptures of life-size animals cloaked in ornamental Persian carpets. Using wire mesh, masking tape, and Jesmonite resin, she meticulously wraps each limb in carpet, creating the illusion that the animals have emerged from the textiles themselves. The show includes works such as "Wild Dog Sundown" (2025), "Red Eagle" (2026), and "Black Cougar" (2025), and draws its title from Shakespeare's *The Tempest*.

Brushstrokes Transform into Beaded Topographies in Liza Lou’s Mixed-Media Paintings

Artist Liza Lou is presenting a new body of work that merges the legacy of Abstract Expressionist brushstrokes with intricate beadwork. Her solo exhibition, 'FAQ,' at Thaddaeus Ropac in London features mixed-media paintings where thousands of glass beads are meticulously placed atop fields of oil paint, creating textured, chromatic topographies that transform gestural marks into sculptural forms.

Catherine Opie “To Be Seen” at National Portrait Gallery, London

The National Portrait Gallery in London is hosting "Catherine Opie: To Be Seen," the first major UK museum exhibition dedicated to the American photographer. The show brings together over 80 photographs spanning 30 years of Opie's career, exploring themes of social, political, and individual identity through studio portraiture, environmental studies, and documentary images.

“The Adventure of Domenico Gnoli” at Lévy Gorvy Dayan, New York

Lévy Gorvy Dayan in New York is presenting “The Adventure of Domenico Gnoli,” a survey of the Italian artist’s work including paintings, drawings, etchings, notebooks, and letters. The exhibition is organized in collaboration with Gnoli’s widow, Yannick Vu, the artist’s estate, Mimì Gnoli, and the Livia Polidoro-Gnoli Archive, and follows his major 2021–22 retrospective at the Fondazione Prada in Milan.

“Nature Morte, 1982–1988” at Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles

“Nature Morte, 1982–1988” at Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles

A new exhibition at Ehrlich Steinberg gallery in Los Angeles presents "Nature Morte, 1982–1988," a focused survey of still-life paintings from a pivotal period in recent art history. The show brings together works from the 1980s by a generation of artists who reinvigorated the traditional genre during a decade defined by explosive art market growth and the rise of Neo-Expressionism.